‘Desperate’ Sajid Javid does the right wing thing on Shamima Begum

It's almost as if he's mainly concerned with being the next Tory leader.

Why has Sajid Javid moved to strip Shamima Begum of her UK citizenship?

"In recent days the home secretary has clearly stated that his priority is the safety and security of Britain and the people who live here," said a Home Office spokesperson. But few in Westminster are buying that one.

As one seasoned lobby hack puts it: “When you realise Sajid Javid is desperate to be the next Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party, everything he does makes perfect sense.”

Among the MPs taking the same view are Labour’s Catherine West, who tweeted: "Stripping this young woman of her citizenship is not the right decision in law and I suspect has more to do with Mr S Javid wanting to be the next Leader of the Tory Party and having to appeal to BLUKIP...”

And the SNP’s home affairs and justice spokeswoman Joanna Cherry, who told HuffPost UK: “Unless this young woman holds dual citizenship the home secretary’s action may be in breach of international law. There is also the welfare of an innocent child to be considered. One is left with the very strong suspicion that the home secretary is more concerned with playing to the gallery and furthering his leadership ambitions than with due process.”

As the Conservative party membership becomes increasingly right wing, Javid's positioning comes as no suprise to many of his colleagues. But it still has gone down badly with more moderate Tory MPs such as George Freeman, who has called it “a mistake & a dangerous precedent “.

Alas that’s not quite the position being taken by another moderate Tory who also has his eye on the leadership…

Begum’s crime is betrayal. Her choice-even if not violent-to side with an enemy who wants to kill us is wrong. She’s not alone. Others have done the same, siding with enemies. We need to update our treason law. Read my ideas for @Policy_Exchange here: https://t.co/XQeZm4JeK8